This was everything I wanted it to be and just as good as I knew it would be! I fell in love with WHTF, and was super stoked to step back into this world! Featuring vampys, a twist on the legend of ming Arthur, a heist, and some pretty fantastic plot twists — that absolutely delivered! Patiently awaiting book #2 (And any and all future books). Thanks to Netgalley for ARC access!

Despite being one of my most anticipated reads and the excitement I had being selected for this ARC, this book ultimately did not measure up. I was hoping for an exciting tale of vampires and a heist and it just fell flat for me. While the story was good, it wasn't great. The beginning of the story felt like traipsing through mud and not getting very far. I felt no connection to the characters and that left me not invested in the story. Once I got to the heist part of the story, it picked up, but I still was not overly compelled to pick up the book. It left me feeling disappointed quite frankly.

The one aspect that Hafsah did well in this story was the commentary on colonialism and its impact. The details of Athie's homeland being colonized and destroyed were heartbreaking. That scene was an incredibly powerful visual of the impacts that colonialism has had and continue to have on those who have been colonized. This commentary was woven through out the story and really felt it to be masterfully done.

However, overall, as this story was good. Not great. I don't know that I would read the next book, because I still do not feel any connection to the characters. That has left me not truly invested in this story.

4.5 stars
A Tempest of Tea is a fantastic start to Hafsah Faizal’s long-awaited sophomore series. It follows a ragtag found-family team of lovable lawbreakers as they engage on a heist to save what they love most—their tea room.
With vampires, real world anti-colonial politics, and Arthurian legend, this book had me hooked from premise alone.
I appreciated execution of the multi-POV. It struck the balance between giving necessary viewpoints, but not over-cluttering with constant POV switches. We read from Arthie, Jin, and Flick’s perspective, but instead of alternating equally (ie, chapter one is Arthie, chapter 2 is Jin, Chapter 3 is Flick, repeat), the POV seems to be solely determined by whose viewpoint is most necessary or impactful for any given scene. This means we get an almost equal amount of chapters from Arthie and Jin’s POV with a lesser smattering of Flick’s. Sometimes we would get three chapter’s from Jin in a row, other times we wouldn’t see his POV for almost 50 pages. It wasn’t equal, but it felt natural and helped the narrative flow smoothly.
The found family aspect of this book was easily my favorite part. I appreciated getting to know Arthie and Jin, and seeing their history and Spindrift’s history woven throughout the story, as well as seeing how Flick began to integrate into their little unit. It was one of the most compelling found family book’s I’ve read in a long time. I enjoyed the heist, though it felt more secondary to the characters. It was engaging and I was interested in watching it come together.
My only complaint, and the only thing keeping this book from reaching its full 5-star potential is the pacing of the reveals. There were plot twists in this book that were tons of fun, but I think they dragged out a little too far. It’s going to be difficult to make this point without spoilers, so bear with me if it’s quite vague and a little confusing.
There are many fun, twisty reveals but there are two major ones that apply to this. They are both revealed in the last 20% of the book, and then there are these things that happen in the climax that get their emotional weight from those reveals. However, since the reveal and then the subsequent culmination happen within 50 pages of each other, we haven’t had enough time to sit with and explore this new information, leaving what had the potential for an intense emotional reaction to instead be much more subdued. I felt as if, if I’d had another 50 pages exploring these reveals and their consequences, I would have been able to connect and engage with them more fully, and thus would have been more intensely impacted. Instead, these climactic events felt a little underwhelming, especially since I could picture the unmet potential.
That said, I am completely in love with these characters and this world, and I am desperately awaiting book 2. A Tempest of Tea has cemented Hafsah Faizal as one of my favorite authors, and I know that book 2 will be phenomenal.

A Tempest of Tea is easily my favorite Faizal offering thus far!!

I am an atmosphere junkie at heart and I found the "teahouse" setting oh so satisfying. It was such a brilliant backdrop for all the shenanigans, found family, and romance offered in this story. The story is riddled with some of the best YA tropes and they are done well enough to remind readers that a troupe can be a good thing! YA readers will feel at home in these pages and be left clamoring for more!!

A Tempest of Tea was advertised as Six of Crows meets Peaky Blinders, which turned out to be too good to be true. I DNF'd this book at 52%.

Arthie Casimir and her brother Jin run a highly respected tearoom that turns sinister at night- it becomes an illegal bloodhouse catering to vampires. Arthie is a criminal mastermind, and her wits and skill become apparent when her tearoom becomes threatened. Along with her brother and their team of underdogs, they plan a heist to take down an elite vampire society.

I really think that this book was trying to do so much that it turned into a muddled mess. This book tried to combine Six of Crows and Peaky Blinders with Arthurian Legend and vampires. The plot was slow, and the characters felt under developed. There are a lot of rave reviews for this book because of the ending so maybe don't listen to me! Unfortunately the book and I didn't get along so well and I couldn't even make it to the end.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book masterfully blends fantasy and heist elements, creating a captivating tale of camaraderie and tension. The plot twists had me on the edge of my seat, and the shocking reveal at the end left me speechless. I can't wait for the next installment after that cliffhanger ending. Jin's complex character stole the show for me, but I enjoyed all the characters especially Opal. Perfect for fans of heist stories in a fantasy world, I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping read.

When I heard the pitch for this book, I was so excited. I love vampires, criminal London-esque locations, and tea. So I thought this would be perfect for me, and it was an enjoyable read that I had a good time with. My one critique is I needed 50+ more pages. I needed to feel more for the characters. There were so many good aspects of this book, but I needed more. The writing was incredible and Hafsah Faizal is an author to look out for, but it just lacked depth. A lot of things seemed surface level.

I would still recommend this book and I am very interested in the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

It's is a combination vampire, heist and so many things that i literally craved for in a book fantasy book. Currently all we read is romantasy or spicy contemporary romance, so this was definitely like a fresh brand new breeze inbetween those.
I haven't read the earlier works of this author and as soon as I heard this is the first installment of a brand new series, I couldn't keep myself from picking up this one.
The writing and world building is definitely good and now I am understanding the hype of this author's last works too. Definitely looking forward to the next upcoming books in this series and also will check out the old works of the author.

Revenge, a deadly heists, betrayal, romance, and blood. Arthie Casimir is the owner of a tea shop... that also sells blood and she deals in secrets. She is a criminal mastermind who has created her own little kingdom in the streets of White Roaring, where vampires roam and politics are at every doorstep. Arthie is an orphan who has made herself into something more and she'll do anything to maintain her self-made kingdom. When her establishment is threatened she is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it, and that means getting a crew together. Along for the ride is Jin, Arthie's brother ( a boy who she saved when his parents, scientists, were taken and his home was burnt down), Felicity (the adopted daughter to a wealthy lady with a talent for forging who has fallen out of grace with her mother), Matteo ( a charming and handsome half vampire who has an interest in Arthie), and Laith ( a general of the Ram, the military guards who hunt the streets, who is from Arawiya (yes this series is connected and set in the world of the Sands of Arawiya series) and wants to hunt down an artifact to kill the king of Arawiya cuz he blames him for the death of his sister). Laith comes to Arthie with a deal : they'll both steal a ledger that will destroy the Ram, the same Ram group who is threatening Arthie's business and the one Laith works for. Arthie is suspicious of Laith yet attracted to him.... and she knows she can't trust him. Arthie and her crew must find a way to make it out alive... but with the Ram hunting them down and betrayals and secrets within the group itself... who knows who will make it out alive. This is the first book in the duology and it was so good. I love Arthie so much and can't wait to see where the second one goes, especially with the way this one ended!! This is the perfect read for fans of Six of Crows or The Gilded Wolves, it's got romance, an fun crew of characters, heists, and my favorite: vampires.

<spoiler> Arthie is actually half vampire half human, she was turned when she was sick by the doctor in her land... right as the colonizers killed and took it over. She was then taken in by Penn, an ancient vampire ruler of sorts who took her in as his own daughter. She ran away four years ago and met jin and made her own little kingdom but with this job she runs back into Penn ( he is her father figure she actually does love him) . Jin assumed his parents died in the fire but he discovers that they were taken by the Ram as the Ram were using experiments to turn vampires into war machines as they fabricated the entire events of the massacre of the Wolf of White Roaring ( in which a starved vampire went on a rampage and killed people). Felicity wanted to get back into the good graces of her mother by working with Arthie and then exposing Arthie and co to her mom so her mom would forgive her but the more time she spends with them the more she is realizing they might be her found family and that her mother really never loved her (she never betrays them but leaves her mother instead). Jin and Flick have been crushing on each other for years and finally kiss at the end of this one. Laith is from Arawiya and is hunting down the artifact his. sister was sent to retrieve by the king of Arawiya to protect the kingdom. His sister died on the boat ( he was ill at the time of the voyage). He and Arthie do kiss but he betrays Arthie as he realizes that Arthie's beloved weapon is the artifact and steals it from her while killing Penn. Arthie hunts him down and reveals that he actually killed his sister, he was sick during the voyage and got her sick and then she died. They both shoot each other and then the Wolf of White Roaring comes and takes Arthie ( I'm guessing it is Matteo as he tells her they are both alike and that they are both half vampire half human). Throughout the book Arthie is attracted to both Laith and Matteo. Arthie's little kingdom is burnt down and she has the option to rebuild it or to move on. (she hunts down laith and the book ends with her and laith both shooting each other and bleeding, and the Wolf of White Roaring coming to her). </spoiler>

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus & Giroux for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3/5

I was sold based on the premise of this book. The world is incredibly interesting. The vampire lore is familiar but brings enough new elements to the table to keep it fresh and intriguing. The characters are diverse and Arthie and Jin especially are both the kind of efficient, no-nonsense protagonists I tend to love. And I love a good high stakes fantasy heist. I love the clear commentary on colonization and imperialism as well. Those things weren't enough to overcome some of the structural issues I kept running into with this book.

One of the primary issues A Tempest of Tea had for me is the pacing. The stakes escalate very quickly and things progress very fast in this book. That isn't an issue by itself but it's combined with a plot that is trying to develop meaningful bonds between characters and is not subtle about what kind of relationships the author is planning for these characters to have. However, for me, these characters do not spend enough time developing together for me to really feel connected and emotionally invested in them. This is especially true once the twists and dramatic scenes in the last third of the book start dropping. I also felt like the vampires weren't really well incorporated into the narrative, which is a shame given how much the plot hinges on them.

This book also has the New Adult problem we are seeing a lot in publishing right now. This book does not feel like it's fully YA or Adult and I do think it would have been stronger if it had pivoted and committed more to one audience.

I am interested to see if some of these problems are less impactful once the second book in the duology comes out and we have a complete narrative. But for now, I am hesitant to whole heartedly recommend this book to readers.

Everyone polish your tea cups and get ready for an absolute smash of a book. Not only is this a stunning fantasy but the wit of the tea jokes? show stopping and very worthy of the title.

Arthie runs a prestigious tearoom, but behind closed doors it doubles as a front for her illegal bloodhouse for vampires. White Roaring's very own criminal mastermind is put in a predicament when someone threatens her and her establishment, and is forced to bring together an unlikely group of people to strike first before they can.

If you love a good heist book, this is for you.
If you love vampires, this book is for you,
If you love refreshing and powerful fmcs, this is for you.
If you love books with multiple incredible romance sideplots, this is for you.
And obviously, if you love TEA, this is for you.

There is something for everyone in this book. My personal favorite was the dynamic between Arthie and all the other characters. You have her brother Jin, those she despises, those she secretly loves, and those she will double cross. She is so interesting and I love seeing who she keeps her mask up with and who she lets it fall around. Jin is also another star, he is definitely someone that people will swoon over. Hafsah does an amazing job of keeping every character distinct in not only their characteristics but their view of the world. You can tell who each character is and how they've grown up in each of their POVs with no confusion. And with a cast of so many characters, that is no simple task. Like with Flick, who grew up in a bit more of a rich environment than Arthie and Jin who were on the streets, her POV is heavily influenced by her background. She has her own battles that we can't understand from Arthie's POV and that is what is so insane about Hafsah's writing. The characters came to life and I found myself rooting for all of them.
Yet she doesn't just excel at character work, there are fight scenes that are so well choreographed they are picturesque. There is one scene that had me on the edge of my seat and elated over the smallest details. I can picture White Roaring so distinctly and feel the pressure of their time constraints and efforts. You truly feel as if you are in this book.

Hafsah absolutely rose to the occasion with this sister series to We Hunt the Flame, where it is absolutely unique and of its own but does have some call backs to her first duology. I simply cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment, and will be returning to reread and revisit these characters very soon. I would highly recommend, but no one is surprised when its Hafsah Faizal. She never disappoints!

If you are looking for fantastic diverse voices who know how to write a story full of romance, intrigue, and adventure - look no further than Hafsah Faizal. She is absolutely superb and I don't know what I did before her books were published. I was eagerly awaiting this one and saved it for the perfect moment, and it was everything I had hoped for and more! If you are needing a fix to your Sarah J Maas or Fourth Wing addiction, may I earnestly suggest this latest treasure? The world-building is perfect, the prose excellent, and the characters are so well-drawn they might have been in the room with me. I cannot wait to see what Hafsah Faizal writes next! Highly recommended!

This was teetering between 2 and 3 stars until the ending hit, and because of how wild it was, I’m bumping it up to 3.5 stars. Unfortunately, as great as the ending was, it’s not enough for me to justify recommending the book. I had so many hopes for this story—especially in the beginning. The premise was promising, the characters were interesting, and I really enjoyed the writing.

But it’s an excellent example of good idea, poor execution. I wouldn’t have minded the slow pace so much, except the story is so bogged down with backstory and world-building info-dumps that it was hard to get into the story. The plot is messy. I found myself bored, and wondering why all the backstory was necessary. I liked the characters in the beginning, but it quickly faded into annoyance when all they did was talk about the past instead of doing things in the present.

The ending was surprising and twisty and fun, and if you’re the type to stick it out with a difficult book for a good ending, this might be the book for you. I do think Six of Crows is a fair comparison, so maybe fans of that won’t mind all the backstory. But if you’re looking for something fast-paced, this isn’t the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All views reflected are my own.

“Every good love story starts with a bullet to the heart.”

———————

Not sure this is a spoiler, but this is half a book. It just ends. Not a cliffhanger so much as a non-ending. I hate that. Usually I knock off one star for a cliffhanger. Well, this loses two stars. The concept may have been original and fun. But I did not invest my time to read half a story. I hate this technique. I'm 100% not reading the rest of the series as interested as I was in the characters. I've drawn my line in 2024. So many folks press for trigger warnings. I want cliffhanger/ no resolution warnings. Let me know when I need to wait til the whole series is out.

If you don't mind being frustrated and then waiting a year for resolution then check this one out if you like Six of Crows or The Gilded Wolves. It's a banter-y heist with some sexual tension and vampires. But if you want my honest opinion, wait til the sequel is out.

Thanks to Farrar, Straus & Giroux for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

Ok I think my actual rating is 3.75 so this book definitely has potential but it just took a bit too long to show itself. Truly nothing really happened until 90% but once it got started it ATE I was gobsmacked every paragraph and truly had no idea what was gonna happen and yeah I need the second book NOW thx <3 also damn the sexual current throughout this book had me QUAKING for a YA book lol

A TEMPEST OF TEA is the first novel by Hafsah Faizal that I have read, and I will definitely be reading more. It reminds me of Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows series mixed with Peaky Blinders but with vampires and a masked despot. Trust me when I say both comparisons are a compliment.

Arthie Casimir is the type of character I adore. She is fiercely loyal to her chosen family. Moreover, she is confident, brazen, and a wee bit scary. Most importantly, she actively undermines Ettenia's colonialism and endeavors to rectify as many wrongs as she can control. Arthie is a great reminder that even small actions can have big consequences.

I am so happy that vampires are back in fashion. While I love the Fae, dragons, shapeshifters, and other beasties, my heart belongs to the fanged ones. The vampires created by Ms. Faizal are drop-dead gorgeous and lethal, but they are not the most frightening creatures that Arthie has to deal with. That honor belongs to the masked Ram, proving once again that the enemy you know is nowhere near as fearful or dangerous as the enemy you don't.

A TEMPEST OF TEA is part heist, part colonialism warning, and part dystopian thriller. With a story that keeps you guessing and larger-than-life characters, A TEMPEST OF TEA keeps your interest and makes for a fast, engaging read. Given its surprising ending, I eagerly anticipate the sequel and am sure I won't be alone.

I adore Hafsah Faizal, and am so glad this lived up to my expectations!

After adoring the Sands of Arawiya duology, I was so incredibly excited to return to this world, especially to explore a whole new part of it! Faizal really showed her range with this book, it reads completely different than her first duology and still completely gripped me. It’s got big Peaky Blinders + vampires vibes, which are two things I generally adore and translated so well to this new part of Faizal’s fantasy world.

Arthie, our main character, is so lovable but also so gritty and mysterious. It’s very clear from the jump that she is not someone to be messed with, even if we don’t know just what her story is right away. The found family here is fun, and all of their shifting loyalties outside of the main group keep the story interesting and unexpected. The last 30% especially had me reeling, there was so much I did not see coming that will have such bit impacts on the story going forward, and then one doozy of a cliffhanger!

My only qualm with the story itself had to do with certain storylines not feeling fleshed out as I wanted them to be. A good example of this was Arthie’s relationship with Penn. come the ending, I didn’t feel as impacted by the events as I wanted to because I never felt like their relationship was explored. I felt this way about Jin & is family, as well as Flick and her mother, which left certain reveals lacking a certain punch I wanted.

Ultimately if you like heists, vampires, gaslamp vibes, found family, diverse fantasy, betrayal, Six of Crows, and gritty female MCs, I think you will adore this story.

I need the next installment ASAP! How could she leave us like this?!?!

In all seriousness, the book was at times a little slow, but overall it was very good and entertaining. It is heavy on the colonialism theme, which I appreciated seeing from a perspective other than my own. You feel for the characters and what they are going through to survive and make a name for themselves in this country that is not theirs and looks down upon them because they don't fit the "norm". Throw in some vampires and a crazed ruler and you got a very interesting book.

There is lots of action, some romance, found family, learning to love yourself, being true to yourself, and tea! The ending almost near killed me, which the twists and turns, and all that happened. I can't wait to read the next one.

From the atmospheric, gas-lit streets to the mysterious and deeply layered characters to the meticulously crafted plot, A Tempest of Tea was a book brimming with haunting secrets and buried truths and kept me on my toes until the last page.

Smart and cunning, Arthie has established herself as a sharp-witted business owner of a prestigious tearoom that welcomes the vampires of society as well as humans. When her business is suddenly under threat, she pulls together a team of outcasts and misfits to save it. But what happens when her well-planned heist becomes more entangled than she ever thought?

Right away, Faizal sold me with her beautifully written characters, immaculate sense of found family, and their adorable, witty dynamics. When you add a dark fantasy setting, vampires, tea, simmering romances (yes, there are multiple!) and a heist—I’m instantly smitten. As the story played out, the plot development was incredible. Twists and turns I never anticipated had me flipping pages, wanting to know what would happen next.

Overall, it was another amazing start to a new series by Faizal, and I can’t WAIT for the next book!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

If you've been craving a book with the same heisty, found family vibes as Six of Crows, THIS is the exact book you've been waiting for. The cast of characters is absolutely incredible and the plot does not disappoint. Some parts have a lot going on, which made some of the busier scenes hard to follow, but in the end it clicks together nicely. Even though I figured out a couple of twists ahead of time, I was still pleased by their reveals and a couple more eluded me entirely. The book captivated me quickly and held my attention flawlessly. I absolutely need another book in this series NOW because that ending was something else.

4.5 Stars rounded up